Overview

• Iran's judiciary said a revolutionary court cleared Lennart Monterlos of espionage despite a prosecutor's indictment, citing legal principles and doubts about an offense.
• Monterlos was arrested on June 16 in Bandar-Abbas while cycling solo across Iran, with his age reported as 18 in the acquittal announcement and 19 at the time of arrest.
• Iran's foreign ministry says authorities are reviewing a potential release of French detainees Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris in connection with freeing Iranian national Mahdieh Esfandiari in France.
• Paris considers Kohler and Paris to be state hostages and had taken Iran to the International Court of Justice before asking the court in late September to drop the case.
• Iranian officials suggest a swap could proceed once procedures are completed, though no timeline or terms have been set.